Born King aka Killa Fifth - Night Vission (Mad Thinkah Productions)

Born King has dropped albums on Halloween for three years in a row now, from Krad Edis in 2007 to The Secret Order in 2008 to this year's Night Vission, in addition to a couple other albums he's released in the same time frame. He told me that this year's Phat Laces was the last proper Born King album, and Night Vission is his last album under the Killa Fifth alias. I'll believe it when I see it, though, considering how prolific he's been, and hopefully either way he'll keep making music, because he remains as inscrutable and uncompromising as ever, even as his ideas and his message become more focused and articulate with each release. You can download the album here.

Born King aka Killa Fifth - "Mission Statement" (mp3)
I mentioned last year that Born King had a great song on his MySpace page that hadn't been released on any of his many albums, and he finally went and put it on one, which makes me really happy, because this song is really aptly titled and sums up BK's whole approach and philosophy really succinctly. The whole song is kinda written to the Baltimore hip hop community, really giving it some tough love, and he shouts out folks like Labtekwon, Concrete Foundation, Pen Pals, YBM and Mike McIntosh at the end of the song, which is pretty cool since Born King is probably one of the only rappers in the city these days that sounds like he's following in Lab's footsteps.

Labels: Born King, mixtape/album review, mp3

Doo Dew Kidz (DJ Booman, Jimmy Jones) & Mullyman Video Shoot!!!

WHEN: Saturday, December 19th 2009

WHERE: CLUB PARADOX 1310 Russell St, Baltimore, MD

TIME: Noon to 8pm

DETAILS:No particular style, just dress fly and clean! Come to party! This is not a stand still and look cute video shoot! Come prepared to dance and have fun. Ladies dress sexxy, fellas you gotta be fresh. Wear Orioles and Ravens Gear as well!!!

The song is called "Step Aside" and you can get familiar with the song by listening here

Labels: Baltimore club, DJ Booman, flyer, Mullyman, Paradox

Ironsoul - Marcis (Ironsoul Music)

I'd never heard Ironsoul before checking out this album, and although I tried to listen and give the whole thing a chance, unfortunately it's a type of underground hip hop that I almost never enjoy. That is, it's a guy bellowing humorlessly like he really really means it, man, over stridently flat-footed beats. Nothing against the guy, it's actually probably one of the better albums in that style that I've heard, it's just not my cup of tea. Marcis has guest appearances by A-Class, Reg from Pro & Reg, McCracken from Minlus & McCracken, and Bishop, and is available for purchase on CDbaby.com.

Ironsoul f/ Mic Brown and A-Class - "Bottom Dollar" (mp3)
I think A-Class is one of the best rappers Baltimore has, so right off the bat the last track on here that features him is one of my favorites.

Labels: A-Class, Minlus McCracken, mixtape/album review, mp3, Pro and Reg

Kane Mayfield of Mania Music Group, Wordsmith and Jade Fox
opening for Bilal @ Ram's Head Live
Wednesday, December 16th

Labels: flyer, Jade Fox, Kane, Mania Music Group, Rams Head Live, Wordsmith

OOH - "Let The Light..." (mp3)
OOH from Brown F.I.S.H. sent this song to me describing it as a "holiday single," but really that's a little deceptive. It's actually a funny, mean, ugly-ass rap song that happens to sample The Nutcracker and have some Christmas-related wordplay. All that means is that this will still sound just as good in January, though.

Labels: Brown F.I.S.H., mp3

This week the Baltimore City Paper ran its annual Top Ten Issue. And in The Year in Local Music, I wrote the blurbs for the #1 album, the Get 'Em Mamis, and the #7 album, Cutthroat and Bear, and also voted for placing albums by Wordsmith and Chubb Rock and Wye Oak, and enjoyed a lot of the other albums on the list. I also voted in The Year in Music list, but I didn't blurb anything and the only album on my ballot that got in the top 10 was DJ Quik & Kurupt.

(photo by Josh Sisk)

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Bear, Cutthroat, For The People Entertainment, G.E.M./Tha Plague, lists, Wordsmith

Labels: Baltimore club, Brakefast Records, flyer, Greenspan, Ogun, Scottie B.

The Black Sunn - GodSound (2dopeboyz/illRoots)

I posted about a previous album and EP by him before, but this is by far the biggest release The Black Sunn has dropped to date, with co-signs from a couple big blogs, 2dopeboyz and illRoots. Anyway as I've said before, I think this kid is a promising talent and seems to have a good handle on his sound, what beats he likes and what he wants to rap about, which isn't especially distinct, is really pretty garden variety old school conscious rap, but he does it well. There is a little more R&B on this record that I'd like, but it's alright.

The Black Sunn - "Dread Man" (mp3)
It's kinda funny to me how this song has a reggae feel and theme, but really the sample is The Police's "The Bed's Too Big Without You."

Labels: 810, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn

A couple months ago I posted Ace's single "Story To Tell," featuring Will Starr and produced by Banga Bill, and here's the video for the track.

Labels: Ace, Banga Bill, video

The Boy Blesst - "The Difference" (mp3)
This track as it was e-mailed to me was labelled "ft. Jay-Z," but of course I never thought for a second that it actually featured Jay-Z, and unsurprisingly it's just got a hook that samples a couple lines from "U Don't Know." I will never ever ever understand why people do that. Are they really trying to fool the 1% of the population that's gullible enough to think an independent rapper actually got a guest verse from Jay-Z? But I checked out this track and am posting it because Blesst is dope, and he released a great album this year, and this song is really good, so fuck even pretending Jay-Z or whoever is on it.

Labels: mp3, The Boy Blesst

Recently on my other blog, Narrowcast, I counted down my 100 favorite albums of the past decade, and the list included a number of entries by Baltimore artists, hip hop and club music as well as rock:

17. Lake Trout - Alone At Last: Live With DJ Who (Phoenix Media Group, 2000)
23. Wye Oak - If Children (self-released, 2007; reissued by Merge Records, 2008)
29. Blaq Starr - I’m Bangin’ (JB Starr Productions, 2006)
35. Tim Trees - Dalton Vol. 1 (Bdamore Records, 2001)
41. Cex - Being Ridden (Temporary Residence, 2003)
47. Karmella’s Game - The Art Of Distraction (Speedbump Recordings, 2006)
53. The 410 Pharaohs - 410 Funk (Strictly Rhythm/Ill Friction, 2008)
59. J Roddy Walston and the Business - Hail Mega Boys (Morphius Records, 2007)
65. Lungfish - Feral Hymns (Dischord Records, 2005)
71. Bossman - Law & Order (Double Down Entertainment/1Up Productions, 2004)
77. Avec - Lines (Civil Defense League/Doghouse, 2007)
83. Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings (Car Park Records, 2007)
89. Rod Lee - Vol. 2: Operation Not Done Yet (Club Kingz Records, 2002)

By no means do I consider that any kind of definitive list of the best Baltimore albums of the past 10 years, for what it's worth, those are just the personal favorites that I happened to want to include on there.

Labels: Baltimore club, Blaq Starr, Bossman, DJ Booman, Labtekwon, lists, One Up Entertainment, Rod Lee, Tim Trees

Drebabes - Get Into Dat Drebabes Pt. 1 (Zone 3 Music/Team Arson Music Group/Hoodstruck Ent.)

A few months ago DJ Booman e-mailed out a track he produced for a rapper named Drebabes, and the guy had pretty much the most annoying voice I'd ever heard and almost every vocal tic and mannerism I hate the most in modern rappers, including sloppy enunciation, unnecessary shouting and Lil Wayne-style fake laughs at his own jokes. So I was pretty much so traumatized that I listened to it once and then tried for forget ever encountering it. Then, more recently, Drebabes e-mailed me a link to his new mixtape on DatPiff, and since I'd completely blacked out my previous encounter with his music, I ended up downloading an entire hour of it. But I'm a good little worker bee and sat through the whole thing and am here to tell you about the experience. And honestly, I'm not saying all this to be mean, because the guy was totally nice when he e-mailed me, and for all I know he could be a good lyricist or have some good ideas. I just really dislike the sound of this man's voice that it's almost physically painful for me to listen to. Maybe you disagree, I'm just putting it out there for you to make your own decision as always.

Drebabes f/ Street Heat and Cashus Clay - "Throw Up" (mp3)
This is probably my favorite track on the mixtape, Drebabes is on the 2nd verse. Whoever's on the last verse that says "this is my jam, naw fuck it, it's Smucker's," that shit cracked me up.

Labels: mixtape/album review, mp3

Labels: Black Hole Rock Club, Comp, flyer

Architects Recording Studio presents Street Radio Vol. 5 (hosted by DJ Radio/blends by DJ 5 Starr)

I reviewed this mixtape recently for the City Paper's Noise blog, probably not the strongest entry in this series but I think better than Vol. 4 from a few months ago. It's got a couple songs I've posted about on here like Bossman's "Off The Record Part 2," Dave Da Barber's "Trapped," and Tonio: From Da Top's "17" featuring Skarr Akbar, Drop and Los, along with tracks by Comp, Ogun, Barnes, Savage Da Beast, Paula Campbell and Al Great, among others. I still don't know what the fuck DJ Radio is thinking when he says shit like "log on, faggot" after plugging a website, which I've heard him do on 2 different mixtapes now, like does he think insulting the listener is gonna get them to do what he says? When I linked the review on here the other day, I got an earful from an anonymous commenter that I like to call The Beacon Of Truth, who was super mad that I liked a Tony Bosco track and didn't mention Barnes, among other things, had an entertaining back and forth there. Anyway, you can download the mixtape over at allbmorehiphop.com/architects and make up your own mind.

Barrs f/ Little Clayway - "The Murderous" (mp3)
Clayway is someone whose music I bump more because of his personality and his stories than straight up rhyming skills, but I gotta say he really kills his verse on this, never heard him sound this mean before. Just saw Clayway recently and got an advance copy of his new double CD, Everybody Rappin', so keep an eye out for that coming soon. I still can't believe there's a rapper named Barrs and a rapper named Barrz on this mixtape. We're running out of fuckin' rapper names.

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Architects, Baltimore City Paper, Barnes, Bossman, DJ 5 Starr, DJ Radio, Little Clayway, Los, mixtape/album review, mp3, Noise, Savage Da Beast, Skarr Akbar, Smash, Tonio

note: doors for this show are at 10:30, not 9:00 as listed

Labels: flyer, Mickey Free, P.T. Burnem, Rapdragons, Zodiac

Labels: B. Rich, flyer

Blakroc f/ NOE - "Hard Times" (mp3)
Blakroc f/ NOE and Nicole Wray - "Done Did It" (mp3)
I've talked before about NOE's unfortunate tendency to try to distance himself from comparisons to Jay-Z while at the same time aligning himself with Jay-Z's enemies and former friends, and that pattern continues with his appearances on the Blakroc album masterminded by Dame Dash that was released last week. It's one of those awkward rap/rock collab type albums, with music by shitty blues rock indie band the Black Keys, and raps by a weird assemblage of whatever rappers will still work with Dame Dash, including Ludacris, Mos Def, and some Wu Tang cats. And of course Jim Jones is on here along with NOE, who guests on these two tracks, which are alright, even if the production sounds a little off to me. It sounds like Nicole Wray is saying "Baltimore has really got me down" on the chorus of "Done Did It."

Labels: mp3, NOE

I've had just a couple things up on the Baltimore City Paper's Noise blog lately, a review of the new Architects Recording Studio mixtape Street Radio Vol. 5, and a live review of the Sugarhill Gang @ Rams Head Live, although it's since come out that apparently it was a fake version of the Sugarhill Gang with only one real member, which explains why the show sucked so bad.

Labels: Architects, Baltimore City Paper, Noise, Rams Head Live

Labels: flyer, Soul Cannon

AK Slaughter - A Personal Matter EP

AK Slaughter is a rap duo, comprised of Emily Slaughter and Aran Keating, that I first learned of last year when they released this, their debut EP, and Raven Baker wrote a City Paper feature about them. But I didn't really get a chance to hear their music, outside of their contributions to the Height With Friends album, until this summer when I saw them at the Baltimore All-Rap Round Robin show, where they really stood out as one of the most entertaining acts. And more recently, someone from their camp reached out to send me this EP and their new mixtape, so it's cool to finally get more acquainted with their music, which is kind of openly comedic and playful (3 of the 8 tracks on here are skits), with a lot of battle of the sexes trash talking bouncing off of the whole boy/girl dynamic of the group. And of course, the way they combined their names to make the group name sound kinda gangsta is funny as hell. It's a little over the top and obnoxiously cutesy for my taste at times, but at the same time I respect that they're in their own lane and doing what they do pretty well.

AK Slaughter - "Tomorrow" (mp3)
This track cracked me up, definitely convinced me that Emily Slaughter needs to be added to the growing list of dope female rappers in Baltimore.

Labels: AK Slaughter, mixtape/album review, mp3